Parking fee when visiting a resort--apparently just a rumor! My apologies!

[Burnedout]

ive just read they are charging a parking fee for visiting the resorts. Does anyone know the cost? This trip we are offsite and we regularly visit to eat counter service, shop and see the displays.

I get that there are people cheating the system. I hope that there is a system implemented to not charge people visiting and spending money.

 

[Robo]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2015/12/disney-testing-paid-parking-at-walt-disney-world-resort-hotels/

Disney is now testing the concept of paid parking for non-resort guests at Walt Disney World. The concept was recently tested at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and will be tested again soon at Disney’s Boardwalk. The test is the latest attempt by Disney to control parking at the resorts, possibly preventing guests from lying that they are visiting the resorts when they are actually using it as a place to park before visiting one of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Under the possible new policy, guests without reservations or who are not resort guests would have to pay the parking fee in order to park at the resort.

MORE:

Paid parking would still not apply to those with dining reservations, Tables in Wonderland members (who get free valet when dining at a resort restaurant only), and obviously resort hotel guests.

 

[Burnedout]

I know. There are no reservations for counter service however.

Main Street mouse says the rumors aren't true.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I could see them doing this in the future. Wouldn't be that unexpected. For now they can just limit by ADRs and hotel guests only.

 

[Burnedout]

They limit the parking time already so that people can visit. They need to just follow up with their current policies

 

[mom2rtk]

They limit the parking time already so that people can visit. They need to just follow up with their current policies

Disney really doesn't like following through on policies. They'd just rather change the policy for everyone.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's not really a rumor, they are testing it, currently only at resorts that have limited parking spaces and easy access to parks (Contemporary and Boardwalk).

They could possibly require a dining or shopping receipt to waive the fee, they already do that for the TIW valet to make sure they aren't parking at the resorts all day.

 

[kandb]

They limit the parking time already so that people can visit. They need to just follow up with their current policies

In reality tho, if they give someone a parking pass for 2 hrs and then find an expired parking pass, what is Disney to do? I doubt they will start towing cars, that would lead to ALOT of problems. I don't blame Disney for charging since people abuse the system. We went to the Wave at the Contemporary last week of August (very slow time, Tuesday night) and they asked us for our name and checked the reservation list before they let us park and we were staying on site at CBR.

 

[HopperFan]

They just permitted for guard shacks at 8 resorts so far for something to be done. Absolutely can see it being implemented. At $20 a day to park am sure there are plenty of offsite who go park to "eat counter service breakfast" and then get on a bus. There are ways to do it that can work.

 

[BelleBee]

It's not really a rumor, they are testing it, currently only at resorts that have limited parking spaces and easy access to parks (Contemporary and Boardwalk).

They could possibly require a dining or shopping receipt to waive the fee, they already do that for the TIW valet to make sure they aren't parking at the resorts all day.

There may be an obvious answer I'm missing, but why doesn't the Yacht Club/Beach Club have the off site parking issues like Boardwalk does? They are in close proximity to each other.

 

[DLM1980]

If they are not going to enforce their policies and let people park longer then 2 hours, then they brought it on themselves. Include the cost of parking into the cost of a theme park ticket and make parking "free". People will still pay admission, there is no need to cheat the system. Then lots are only for those with reservations and resort guests. If you want to visit the resort and are not a resort guest, go park in the TTC and then resort bus back (it's going to take you some time, but you should have stayed on property then)

Or just build bigger parking garages at the resorts to accommodate the extra flow of people. If guests are using the boardwalk because of the IG entrance to get to world showcase, then install a people mover or omnimover, or a couple of long moving walkways (like at Atlanta's airport) to high-tail it from Epcot's main gate to world showcase's International Gateway. They connect the outside of the parks, not the actual inside of the parks.

 

[Robo]

There may be an obvious answer I'm missing, but why doesn't the Yacht Club/Beach Club have the off site parking issues like Boardwalk does? They are in close proximity to each other.

They very well might have the same issues.
(As are similar situations at the Poly and Grand Floridian in relation to the Contemporary.)

It's likely that they are just testing at a couple of specific resorts at the moment.

 

[DLM1980]

There may be an obvious answer I'm missing, but why doesn't the Yacht Club/Beach Club have the off site parking issues like Boardwalk does? They are in close proximity to each other.

I'm betting because boardwalk is probably the closest, plus they have "the boardwalk" which makes it more interesting to see

 

[supersnoop]

I'm pretty sure Beach Club is closer than Boardwalk, but Boardwalk is an entertainment venue, so it's probably easier to come up with an excuse when pulling into the parking lot.

 

[supersnoop]

In reality tho, if they give someone a parking pass for 2 hrs and then find an expired parking pass, what is Disney to do? I doubt they will start towing cars, that would lead to ALOT of problems. I don't blame Disney for charging since people abuse the system. We went to the Wave at the Contemporary last week of August (very slow time, Tuesday night) and they asked us for our name and checked the reservation list before they let us park and we were staying on site at CBR.

There have been multiple reports of people being towed at the Contemporary.

 

[DLM1980]

There have been multiple reports of people being towed at the Contemporary.

Dunno where they tow them to but they should tow to a special area of the TTC (the naughty lot) and charge double the parking rate to get the car out

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yacht/Beach has a pretty sizeable parking lot, I can see why they would test at Boardwalk first, which doesn't have as many spaces and may engender more complaints from resort guests that they can't find someplace to park.

 

[Robo]

Dunno where they tow them to but they should tow to a special area of the TTC (the naughty lot) and charge double the parking rate to get the car out

It can cost a lot more than that to retrieve a car from impound.
(Depends on who's running the impound, of course.)

Add the tow fee and you've got yourself a real jackpot!

 

[supersnoop]

Dunno where they tow them to but they should tow to a special area of the TTC (the naughty lot) and charge double the parking rate to get the car out

I'm pretty sure towing fees with be close to 8x the standard parking fee.

 

[aaarcher86]

They'd need to make the fee larger than the regular lot or people would just park at a convenient resort and pay the fee if it's the same as offsite parking. It'd only really discourage on site parkers who would be free.